About Ryan Hinnant
I’m a Technical Audio Director with over 10 years of experience in AAA game development, specializing in interactive audio systems, Unreal Engine workflows, and technical leadership.
My work sits at the intersection of creative direction and technical execution, helping teams build scalable, high-quality player experiences through strong systems, collaboration, and problem-solving. Over the years, I’ve developed deep expertise in audio pipelines, implementation workflows, and real-time interactive media, with a passion for pushing technology forward in ways that support both creativity and production.
I enjoy mentoring others, improving workflows, and helping teams turn ambitious ideas into polished, immersive experiences.
Professional Experience
2023 – Present
Epic Games
Technical Audio Director
2018 – 2023
Epic Games
Sr. Technical Sound Designer
2018 – 2023
Epic Games
Capture Technician
2016 – 2017
Boss Key Productions
Asst. Technical Sound Designer
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Lead technical audio strategy, implementation, and production support across Fortnite initiatives and connected ecosystem experiences.
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Drive cross-disciplinary collaboration with audio, design, VFX, UI, engineering, production, and external partners to deliver scalable, high-quality player-facing audio systems.
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Build and improve workflows, tools, and pipelines using Unreal Engine, MetaSounds, and Niagara to increase implementation speed, reduce manual overhead, and improve team efficiency.
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Develop scalable systems supporting cosmetics, vehicles, movement systems, music, ambience, NPCs, VO, and gameplay-driven audio features.
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Establish standards, review practices, and sustainable processes for technical audio delivery, helping teams move faster while maintaining quality.
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Mentor technical audio designers and contractors through coaching, growth support, onboarding, and day-to-day technical guidance.
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Contribute to hiring, organizational development, and cross-team planning to strengthen technical audio capability across multiple initiatives.
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Designed and implemented interactive audio systems using Unreal Engine tools, blueprint scripting, and technical workflows that supported high-quality game audio at scale.
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Partnered with sound designers, gameplay designers, and production to deliver immersive audio experiences across fast-moving development cycles.
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Built user-friendly implementation systems that improved workflow efficiency and supported a wide range of gameplay and content needs.
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Helped evolve technical audio practices through problem solving, collaboration, and scalable system design.
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Developed virtual camera tools and supporting workflows for Unreal Engine-based capture and cinematic production.
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Built UI components and engine tools for special projects and capture workflows.
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Supported trailer, cinemagraph, and render production through technical tool development and collaboration with the capture team.
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Prepared, edited, and mixed audio assets for implementation and final delivery.
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Implemented audio using Wwise and UE4 workflows.
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Reported, troubleshot, and resolved audio bugs in support of AAA production needs.
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Collaborated across teams to ensure accurate and timely audio integration.
2014 – 2016
Trailblazer Studios
Audio Engineer / Video Editor
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Designed SFX and Foley for video and film projects.
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Synced and mixed audio for broadcast and post-production workflows.
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Edited and prepared video content for network airing and online finishing.
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Supported end-to-end production through both audio and video post workflows.
Education
Barton college
Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications
Audio Recording Technology and Broadcast/Video Production
Wake Tech
Simulation and Game Development
Certificate in Programming for Game Development